Method of constructing a concrete skylight, vault-light, and floor-light.



L. W. MULPORD.

METHOD 0F CONSTRUGTING A CONCRETE SKYLIGHT,VAULT LIGHT,AND FLOOR LIGHT APPLICATION FILED IBB.23, 1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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L. W. MULFORD.

METHOD 0F CONSTRUCTING A CONCRETE SKYLIGHT, VAULT LIGHT, AND FLOOR LIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.23, 1912.

1 ,072,147, Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

wnNEssEs Q77 6 mvEmon ATTDRNEYS LOLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH c0.,wAsHlNo'ruN. n, c.

L. W. MULPDRD.

METHD 0F CONSTRUCTING A CONCRETE SKYLIGHT, VAULT LIGHT. AND FLOOR LIGHT.

APPLICATION TILEDPBLN. 1912.

1,072,147, Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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L. W.. MULFORD.

METHOD OF CONSTRUUTING A CONCRETE SKYLIGHT,VAULT LIGHT,AND FLOOR LIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED FBB.23, 1912.

1,072,147, Patented sept.2,1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANouRArH co.. WASHINGTON. D. c4

L. W. MULFORD.

METHOD OP GONSTRUGTING A CONCRETE SKYLIGHT, VAULT LIGHT, AND FLOOR LIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED 1113.23, 1912.

1,072,1 47. Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

' f. Eiwit/12:2

wif/mii BY l ATTORNEYS UNTTED STATES PTENT OFFICE.

LOGAN WILLARD MULFORD, 0F NARBERTI-I, PENNSYLVANIA. ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 FREDERICK J. GEIGER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD 0F CONSTRUCTING A CONCRETE SKYLIGHT, VAULT-LIGHT, AND FLOOR-LIGHT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

Application filed February 23, 1912. Serial No. 679,464.

T0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, LOGAN WILLARD l\fIULio1 n, a citizen of the United States, residing at Narberth, in the county of Montgomery, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Method of Constructing Concrete Skylights, Vault-Lights, and Floor-Lights, of which the following is a specification.

ln devices of this character, as heretofore manufactured, it has been impracticable, owing to the cost of transportation from the factory to the place of usage, and also from the great liability to breakage in transit, and further the impossibility of making a first class installation at the building, to substantially complete the construction before shipping and where long hauls are necessary the cost of transportation has rendered such methods commercially impracticable.

rThe object of my present invention is to devise a novel method of constructing a sky light, vault light and floor light whereby the construction may be partially or substantially completed at the factory and then shipped to its destination, at which place it may be readily placed in position by unskilled labor, the parts being constructed in such a manner that the elements thereof are not in danger of being moved out of alinement with consequent detriment to the finished construction, and my novel method also provides a construction in which the top finish and the watertight finishing work can be done at the building, thus accomplishing the same purpose as when the entire work of construction is done at the building, and at the same time greatly reducing the cost of construction.

My invention in its broad and generic scope consists of a novel method wherein a concrete slab having tile or lens receiving openings is built up, after which such slab is shipped to its destination and located in position, then the openings are covered by the lenses or tiles, and then the construction is completed by pouring on the concrete in such a manner as to embed the tiles and secure them in proper position.

ln a co-pending application, filed on the 3rd day of June, 1911, Serial No. 631,084, I have described and broadly claimed a novel sky light, vault light and floor light construction, and my present application relates to a novel method of constructing a sky light, vault light and floor light construction, such as is disclosed therein.

For the purpose of illustrating different ways of carrying out my novel method, I have shown in the accompanying drawings preferred embodiments thereof which have been found in practice to give satisfactory and advantageous results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Figure l represents a perspective view of a portion of a sky light, vault light and floor light construction embodied in my invention. Fig. Q represents a sectional elevation of Fig. l. Fig. 3 represents a perspective view showing the construction as manufactured at the factory and ready for shipment. Fig. 4 represents a perspective view of another embodiment of my invention showing the same as ready for shipment. Fig. 5 represents a sectional elevation of Fig. 4 but showing in addition a lens in place and the binding material in cooperative relation with respect thereto. Fig. G represents a plan view of the finished construction partly broken away to show more clearly one type of metal reinforcement. Fig. 7 represents a perspective view of another embodiment of my invention. Fig. 8 represents a sectional elevation of Fig. 7 but showing in addition a tile in position and the binding material in co-operative relation with respect thereto. Fig. 9 represents a plan Tiew of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 represents a plan view showing the position the parts assume during the first step of the operation, before the first layer of concrete is in position. Fig. 11 represents a section on line mem, Fig. 10. Fig. 12 represents a sectional view showing the first set of reinforcements and the bonding elements embedded in the concrete, and the lens forming castings removed. Fig. 13 represents a sectional view of the construction, showing the first slab as complete and the upper set of reinforcements secured to the bonding elements.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Ytion'herein illustrated, I have shown a construction which is preferably completed at the factory to such an extent that it isi` adapted1to receive the lenses or tiles, and provided 'with bonding elements adapted 'to receive rods or bars o'f anydesired contour sothat after the partly-completed construc-4 tion is.received at its destination, the rods or bars `maybe assembled With respect to the bonding elements, 'thelenses placed in position and embedded in the binding material ,which unites with the bonding elements, so

that the 'binding material which is pre- -formed, will be united in a reliable and stable manner with 'the binding material which embeds the`lenses=and secures them in position. l

.Referring first to the embodiment seen in Figs. l'to 3 inclusive, 1, as indicated in Fig. 3, designates the construction as completed ready for shipment, and wherein a foundaion or :layer of binding materialQ of any desired nature is employed, which in the present instance, forms alayer of substantia'lly uniform thickens and isprovided with openings 3 therethrough adapted to receive the lenses or tiles .4 which may be of any desired character and which7 in ,thezpresent instance, are illustrated as provided with the 'laterally extending flanges 5 and 6 between which is located a laterally extending groove 7 which extends Yinto'the body portion of the tile vin order to provide a space adapted to be filled with binding material.

8 designates rods or bars'which mayhave any desired contour and are preferably arranged parallel with respect to each other, itbeing'noted that rodsor bars19 extending at right angles tothebars 8 are employed in orderto reinforce the concrete. These rods or bars 8 or 9 may be round or deformed,`that is, they may have either a round contour or any other desired contour Amay begiven thereto and stillbe .within the scope of'my invention. The rods or bars8 and 9 respectively are arranged in anydesired manner, in the present instance in diderent horizontal planes, the .rods 9, in vthe present instance, being located in the layerQ, while the rod 8 is located in a plane thereabove,

andthese members 8 and 9 are embedded in ythe -same binding vmaterial las Athat vwhich formsthe'layer 2 in order-to form dovetail projections 10` which intersect each other, as will be bestapparent .from iFig. 3.

l t will of course be understood that in the '.processaof :manufacture the members -8 v-and nation. `Afterbeing located 'in its proper 7positionthe `lenses or tiles 4 are placed vin position above the openings?) so that'the rib 6 will surround'thewalls of such opening, after 'which the 'binding material 11 is placedinposition so ras `to embed the tiles and interlockwith the ribs 5 and 6 and the groove 7 =therebetween and also interlock -with'the dovetailmerribers 10 so that when the'parts arein assembled positionthe binding material 11 will be united in a positive mannerwith respeetto the binding material 2 and the-members 10.

In the embodiment seen in Figs. 4 and 5 inclusive, l have shown the metal reinforcements as consisting of any desired number of layersofapertured or expanded metal 1Q through which passes bonding elements r12, which, in'thepresentinstance, are shown as having'their ends secured together andrembedded in .the concrete although, as will'be apparent, the ends ofthe bonding elements 13 may extend above the layer of preformed concrete. IlIn this embodiment the bonding elements 13 extendthroughout the construction thereby adapting the same to receive the rods 14 and A15 which in this embodiment, I have illustrated as being of rectangular contour. The construction, comprising the concrete base 16 having the tile receiving apertures 17therein and the-bonding elements 13, may be shipped from the factory either with or without the rods 14 and 15 in assembled relation with respect thereto. Thetile 4 is constructed in a similar manner to that already described `with reference lto Figs. `1 to 3 inclusive and is secured in position by meansof the binding material 11 -in a similar 'manner, it fbeing seen'that the binding material embedsthe bonding elements `-13 and thc'rods 14 and 15 so that a bond or ltie is formed between the old concrete or binding material and the new concrete or binding'material.

'In the embodiment seen in Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive, I have shown a construction wherein a different Altype of bonding elements is employed and in this embodiment the'bonding elements consist of strips 18 preferably metallic and provided with apertures 19 and 20, the apertures 20 being adapted to receive the rods 21 which in this instance are embedded in the lower concrete layer 16 while the upper ends of the members 18 are adapted to receive rods 22, it being understood that similar binding elements 18 are employed through which are adapted to pass the rods 23 which are embedded in the preformed concrete, and rods 24 which latter are adapted to be embedded in the concrete which is used to embed the tiles and form a bond with the bonding elements 18 and the rods 22 and 24. It will be readily apparent from Fig. 8 that the binding material interlocks with the tile in a similar manner to that already described with reference to other figures of the drawings.

Referring now to Figs. l() to 13 inclusive, I have illustrated therein one manner of carrying out the novel steps of my method it being seen that I first take a form or support 25 of any desired dimensions and provided with apertures 26 therethrough which are spaced apart. The apertured support 25 thus formed is supported in any desired manner. Any desired means may be employed to confine the concrete to form the sides of t-he slab to be formed but, in the present instance, I have shown this as being accomplished by placing strips 29 of any desired material on the top of the support 25 in order toform a mold for the concrete mixture. The strips 29 may be secured in position by any desired means such as for example the clamping devices 30. Castings 31 having any desired contour and designed to form the lens receiving openings are then placed in position to cover the apertures 26. The cast-ings 31 are shown as provided with an aperture 32 therethrough and having its outer periphery tapering as is indicated at 33 while the lower portion thereof is angularly recessed as at 34 thereby adapting the same to seat on the support 25. Reinforcing members such as the rods 35 are then placed in position between the castings or molds 31 such reinforcing members being spaced from the support 25 by spacing devices 36 of any desired construction. Reinforcing members 37 are then located between the molds 31 so as to extend at an angle to and traverse the reinforcing members 35 to which latter they are secured by bonding elements 38 of any desired construction but which for con` venience of illustration I have shown as comprising a wire or cable which is twisted around the reinforcing members 35 and 37 at their points of intersection and the free ends of the wire extend upwardly above the top of the mold 3l as will be understood by reference to Fig. 11 and as indicated at 39 in said figure. The parts now appear as indicated in Fig. 10 except that in said ligure certain of the molds 31 have been omitted for clearness of illustration. The next step is to pour the concrete or other binding material employed on to the support 25 in order to embed the reinforcing members 35 and 37 and the lower portion of the bonding elements 38 and then allowing the concrete or binding material to set to form a reinforced concrete slab 40 as will be clearly understood by reference to Fig. 12. After the concrete is set the clamps 30 and the strips 29 are removed and the concrete slab 40 is removed from the support 25 and the molds 31 are taken away thereby leaving lens receiving apertures 41 in the concrete, as is clearly indicated in Fig. 13. The reinforced concrete slab 40 thus formed may be shipped to its destination or if desired reinforcing members 42 may be secured to the ends 39 of the bonding elements 38 and then reinforcing elements 43 extending at an angle to the elements 42 may be secured to the bonding elements 38 and the construction thus far completed shipped to its place of installation at which place the lenses will be placed in position and the second layer of concrete be formed to finish the construction. It will thus be seen that a reinforced concrete slab is formed having reinforcements of any desired nature and with tile receiving openings and bonding elements while the tiles are placed in position and embedded in another layer of concrete.

In many cases arising in practice it is advantageous to provide a concrete slab or a reinforced concrete slab having the tile receiving openings therein with bonding elements of any desired nature, so that after the tiles are placed in position and the second layer of concrete is formed a positive bond or tie will be produced between the preformed concrete construction and the concrete which embeds the tiles In man)7 cases arising in practice it is advantageous to reinforce not only the firstlayer of concrete but also the second layer of concrete and in such case I preferably interlock with or secure to the bonding elements in any desired manner the reinforcements of the second layer of concrete.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that when concrete or similar binding material is applied to a preformed concrete slab, as shown in the various embodiments of my invent-ion, that the union of the preformed and subsequent formed slabs, is effected on a neutral axis, the tension stress being exerted on the preformed or lower slab and the compression stress on the upper slab, the ingredients of the slabs uniting as a homogeneous mass after the operation is completed, so that an intimate union between the upper and lower layers of concrete is effected, without the use of bonding ele- L5 receivingopenings so thatithefsameunaybe m) toiernbed the :tiles andfsecure them insposifeo ments although in ipractice YI prefer tto emlploysuch #bonding devices.

Insofar as I am eWere-I amitheifirstiin fthe gert 4to form a .concrete sldb xhxaving ftile 'shipped from the 'factory and wherein :the "construction .is veompleted by locating '.such :conerete'slab Jin its rproperapleee, plucingithe tiles :thereon Aand then pouring kon concrete -tion aand it is to be understood @that my `claims 'to 'such features: are to be interpreted rwith:correspondingscope.

.It will Vnow :be evident .to )those `sliilled 'in fthis art that Irhavefdevsedfa `construction which1mayibegpartially"orfsubstantially completed .at Yfthe faetony :so `that ithe openings v:for-fthe tile `vvillibejproperlyialined,und afrelirforced concrete slab :produced which tmay be Aplaced -in p'osition by iunslrilled labor. Theitilesfmayithenrbe placedvinrposition and tit iis simply necessary tto spour in :the `'eon- Jcre'te Awhich iunites with the rbonding :elements, as 'herein idescribed, V'-so fthat a firm fbond` ortie betweenzthefoldfconcrete iandfthe Anevv concrete zor other binding :material :is produced.

IIn devices of .this f character, 'es rheretofore; iconstructed, `it ihaslbeen `necessary ato :send ai skilled `Aworkmen Pfrom the'lfiactony to lessem- I ble "the devices, but `.when fdevices :are em-f ployed constructed in accordance With vinyl .novel invention, rthe .'-same muy :be readily assembled by unskilled ilabor @with aconsequent economy 4inthe1coshofflconstruction.

It vwill now abe Yapparent that =I v'have .deviseda novelnndzusefulemethod .of {constructing concrete skylight, :vault V`light :and floor light lwhich embodies :the fffeatures of edvantage enumeratedas 'desirebleLin thestatey'inentiof thefinvention andfthe abovedescription, and yvvhile I fhave, iin ithe 'present rinstance, shown endfdescribedzaprferrediembodiment thereof which has ibeen found Iin bpractice to Vgive satisfactory und 'relieblearesu'lts, rit is tobe understoodthat the sameiis susceptible 'of A`modification 'in various iparticulars Without departing from the spirit or scope-of .the invention or sacrificingfnny of its-advantages.

Having'thusl describednny invention, vwhat fIcleim vas newvanddesire to secureby :Letters `rPatent, .is

il. The method of iformingm concrete shy light, :vault Slight or floor light, which .consists ini taking an apertured support,iplacing molds Voverthe apertures, spacing :reinforced ments .from the. support, placing 1 on 1rthe-support rmolding elements Vto form itheisides of the slab, embedding .the lreinforeements Iiin conerete,rallowing -the concrete Sto set, then removing -the reinforced =concrete slab `ifroin the support, the-moldsaandithe:mldingielement-s, {placing :the slab Vover a vault, ldoor, or sky lightopening, ip'lacing lenses :'overithe 5 project :above it, embedding fthe exposed `openingsfin fthe'slabito gproject'above it, and sthen embedding fsaidilenses in concrete.

f2. The Vmethod of forming a :concrete sky slight, vault 'light or floor light, @which consistsinztakingianapertured support, placing ,70 `moldsover the apertures, spacing freinforeements :fromthe support, placing-onithe supvport finolding :elements ,to form .the sides of -the .slab, uniting With the reinforcements :bonding elements, embedding @the AreinforceimentsandmJ portion dfgthefbondingielements in:concrete,zallovving the concrete to-setthen removing ithe reinforced ysieb with lens reiceiving openings fromzthe support, the molds, land:molding:elements, placing: said slabiover la vault, floorior sky alightopening, gplacing ilenses I, over vthe `openings in the-slab fto pro- -ject iabove it, embedding the L exposed bonding elements, and surrounding the lenses iiush 5to the :top thereof With fconcrete, I,and l then allowinggthezseeond layerzof concrete tolset.

V3. ,Themethod of :formingea concreteslry llight, `vaultalight or floor light, which conssists 5in 'first positioning reinforcing devices, neX-t `securing ;to \the ireinforcing devices bonding ielements, A,embedding the yreinforcing deviceseand aiportion of the bonding-ele- :ments 2in conorete, then allowing theconcrete 'to :set :to -form a reinforced concrete vslab With lens 'receiving openings and eX- 'posed ibonding Eelements, placing said slab lover axviaultufloor orrsky light opening, l:placing :lense-s over the opening lin the Aslab Ato "IDO bonding elements of 'the second vset lof :reinforcing devices, eend surrounding fthe lenses iiush ato the tops lthereof 'With concrete, and `then allowing Ytheisecond layer lof concrete toSet.

The method of forming La :concrete -sky xlight,vaiilt light orfloor light, which consists :in ilirst positioning -reinforcing devices, securing to 2the reinforcing Adevices Abonding elementsyembedding the 'reinforcing devices Emo and ra portion of the -bonding elements in .concrete ito form 1a :reinforced concrete slab with lens receiving openings :and exposed bonding elements, `allowing `the iconcrete to set, then-securing to theexposedzportion of 1515 the bonding elements 1a second set of rein- :forcingfdevices placing said-slab over the ivault, ifloor or :shy light opening, gplacing [enses overthe openings -in the slabito projectabove it, embedding seid'lenseslush to 120 the tops thereof :and the freinforcements Ain concrete, and ithen 4allowing the rconcrete to set.

5. The method fof lforming a :concrete sky light, vault light or iioorlight, which con- 125 si-sts sin first positioning :reinforcing devices, embeddingfthem in concrete to form'a'reinforced concrete slab .with 'lens receiving openings, plaoinglenses over Asaid openings to iprojectbove the slab, and then :.embed- 1,130

ding said lenses in concrete flush to the top thereof.

6. The method of forming a concrete sky light, vault light or floor light, which consists in positioning reinforcing devices, uniting with the reinforcing devices bonding elements, embedding the reinforcing devices and a portion of the bonding elements in concrete to form a reinforced concrete slab with lens receiving openings and exposed bonding elements, placing lenses over the openings to project above the slab, embedding the exposed bonding elements and surrounding the lenses flush to the top thereof with concrete, and then allowing the second layer of concrete to set.

7 The method of forming n. concrete sky light, vault light or floor light, which consists in positioning reinforcing devices, uniting with the reinforcing devices bonding elements, embedding the reinforcing devices and a portion of the bonding elements in concrete to form a reinforced concrete slab With lens receiving openings and exposed bonding elements, securing a second set of reinforcing devices to the bonding elements, placing lenses over` the openings to project above the slab, embedding the exposed bonding elements and the second set of reinforcing devices, and surrounding the lenses flush t-o the tops thereof with concrete, and then allowing the second layer of concrete to set. 8. The method of forming a concrete sky light, vault light or floor light, which consists in forming a reinforced concrete slab With lens receiving openings and exposed bonding elements, placing lenses over the openings, embedding said lenses flush to the tops thereof and the reinforcements in concrete, and then allowing the concrete to set.

LOGAN VVILLARD MULFORD.

Witnesses:

M. C. Fox, C. D. MCVAY.

Copies of this patent Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

